U.S. patent number 7,150,342 [Application Number 09/497,359] was granted by the patent office on 2006-12-19 for elevator structure mounting system having horizontal member for reducing building loads at top of hoistway.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Otis Elevator Company. Invention is credited to Leandre Adifon, Richard N. Fargo, Thomas E. Landry, James A. Rivera, Bruce St. Pierre, Bruce P. Swaybill.
United States Patent |
7,150,342 |
Adifon , et al. |
December 19, 2006 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Elevator structure mounting system having horizontal member for
reducing building loads at top of hoistway
Abstract
A structural system for elevator assemblies includes a
horizontal compression member positioned near the top of the
elevator hoistway for reacting to inwardly directed tension loads
and moment forces applied to the hoistway wall and connection
components resulting from the elevator vertical load. The
horizontal compression member includes a rigid member positioned in
a compression state between mounting structures for elevator ropes
and elevator machine components such that the compression member
reacts and counters inwardly directed horizontal forces and
resultant moment forces caused by a centralized, downward vertical
load.
Inventors: |
Adifon; Leandre (Farmington,
CT), Fargo; Richard N. (Plainville, CT), Landry; Thomas
E. (Collinsville, CT), Rivera; James A. (Bristol,
CT), St. Pierre; Bruce (Bristol, CT), Swaybill; Bruce
P. (Farmington, CT) |
Assignee: |
Otis Elevator Company
(Farmington, CT)
|
Family
ID: |
23976541 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/497,359 |
Filed: |
February 3, 2000 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20020148688 A1 |
Oct 17, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
187/411; 187/406;
187/404 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B66B
11/0045 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B66B
7/08 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;187/213,264,265,266,404,406,407,411,412,414 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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7-300285 |
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Nov 1995 |
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JP |
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WO99/48789 |
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Sep 1999 |
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WO |
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Primary Examiner: Lillis; Eileen D.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An elevator system comprising: an elevator assembly disposed
within a hoistway and suspended by elevator ropes having ends
suspended with respect to a pair of rigid structures affixed to
opposing walls of the hoistway; and a compression member positioned
between said rigid structures in such a manner so as to counter
resultant forces applied to said rigid structures due to a vertical
load.
2. An elevator system according to claim 1, wherein said resultant
forces include moment forces and inwardly-directed, generally
horizontal tension forces.
3. An elevator system according to claim 1, wherein said
compression member is generally horizontally aligned.
4. An elevator system according to claim 1, further comprising
mounting brackets for attaching said elevator assembly to said
rigid structure.
5. An elevator system according to claim 4, wherein said
compression member is positioned between said mounting
brackets.
6. An elevator system according to claim 5, wherein said mounting
brackets are positioned on opposite sides of said elevator
assembly.
7. An elevator system according to claim 4, wherein said elevator
rope ends are suspended by said mounting brackets.
8. An elevator system according to claim 1, wherein said
compression member comprises a rigid compression member.
9. An elevator system according to claim 1, wherein said vertical
load is attributable to said elevator assembly.
10. An elevator system according to claim 1, wherein said elevator
assembly further comprises a pair of elevator guide rails having
said compression member located therebetween.
11. A method of countering load reaction forces in a pair of rigid
structures affixed to opposing walls of a hoistway caused by a
vertical load attributable to an elevator assembly suspended from
said rigid structures, said method comprising providing a
compression member; and positioning said compression member between
points on said rigid structures from which said elevator assembly
is suspended.
12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said compression member
is positioned generally horizontally.
13. A method according to claim 11, wherein said compression member
is positioned between bracket structures that attach elevator rope
ends to said rigid structure.
14. An elevator system comprising: an elevator assembly disposed
within a hoistway; a pair of load bearing structures affixed to
opposing walls within the hoistway and from which the elevator
assembly is suspended by elevator ropes; and a compression member
positioned between said load bearing structures in such a manner so
as to counter non-vertical components of forces applied to said
load bearing structures due to suspension of the elevator
assembly.
15. The elevator system according to claim 14, wherein the load
bearing structures comprise mounting brackets attached to walls of
the hoistway.
16. The elevator system according to claim 15, wherein said
mounting brackets are positioned on opposite walls of hoistway.
17. An elevator system comprising: an elevator assembly disposed
within a hoistway; a pair of load bearing structures affixed to
opposing walls within the hoistway and from which the elevator
assembly is suspended; and a compression member positioned between
said load bearing structures in such a manner so as to counter
non-vertical components of forces applied to said load bearing
structures due to suspension of the elevator assembly.
18. The elevator system according to claim 17, wherein the load
bearing structures comprise mounting brackets for attaching said
elevator assembly to walls of the hoistway.
19. The elevator system according to claim 18, wherein said
mounting brackets are positioned on opposite walls of hoistway.
20. The elevator system according to claim 18, wherein the elevator
assembly comprises an elevator car and elevator ropes by which the
car is suspended, and ends of the elevator ropes are suspended by
the mounting brackets.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to elevators and, more specifically,
to an elevator system structural support for providing reaction
forces to bolt tension and moment forces associated with elevator
components attached to a building structure.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Traditional elevator systems have machine rooms located overhead in
the elevator hoistway or shaft for housing the lifting motor, drive
system and various other components. The terminal ends of elevator
ropes that attach overhead are typically located in the machine
room. Typical machine rooms provide ample space for elevator rope
termination hitches having configurations capable of supporting
substantial vertical loads.
Elevator systems of the type having no machine room are limited in
overhead space. Thus, machine and rope terminations located at the
top of the hoistway must be designed to fit within a relatively
confined area while providing support for substantial vertical
loads. Such vertical loads are supported by the elevator rails or
similar structures. The resultant vertical load is concentrated
toward the inside of the hoistway, generally coincident with the
centers of mass of the elevator car and counterweight. The
resultant vertical load, therefore, causes a moment force applied
to the support structures. The moment is typically reacted through
tensile loading of brackets, and bolts attaching the brackets to
the hoistway walls, near the top of the hoistway. Such tensile
loading requires significant hoistway wall strength, thereby
increasing building cost.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention, therefore, to provide an elevator
system having structural means to alleviate or eliminate moment
loads or tensile loads resulting from the same in elevator
structure connections to building structures.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an
elevator system that reduces building cost requirements by
minimizing moment and tensile loads resulting from elevator
structure connections.
These objects and others are achieved by the present invention
elevator system.
The present invention is directed to a structural system for
elevator assemblies including a horizontal compression member
positioned near the top of the hoistway for reacting to inwardly
directed tension loads and moment forces applied to the hoistway
wall and connection components resulting from the elevator vertical
load. The horizontal compression member comprises a member
positioned in a compression state between mounting structures for
elevator ropes and elevator machine components such that the
compression member reacts and counters inwardly directed horizontal
forces and resultant moment forces caused by a centralized,
downward vertical load.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a partial, schematic view of an elevator system having a
compression member according to a preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
FIG. 2 is a partial, schematic side view of an elevator system
according to FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
An elevator system (10) illustrating a horizontal compression
member (12) according to the present invention is shown in FIG.1.
The 35 elevator system (10) includes an elevator hoistway (14)
having four walls, one of which is shown cut-away in FIG. 1. A set
of elevator mounting brackets (16, 18) are provided as mounting
means for mounting the elevator assembly components to the inside
walls of the hoistway (14). The elevator assembly includes the
elevator machine (22), various sheaves (24), the elevator car (26)
suspended by ropes (30), and rails (20). Vertically aligned
elevator rails (20) run along the inside hoistway walls and may be
positioned to support some or most of the vertical load resulting
from the elevator assembly. Bolts (28) are utilized to fix the
brackets (16,18) to the inside hoistway walls. Under normal
conditions, the bolts (28) are subject to tension loading, as the
resultant vertical load of the elevator assembly is directed
downwardly and is concentrated in the approximate center of the
hoistway, thereby resulting in moment forces at the vertical
support points at the inside hoistway walls. The tension loading is
also transmitted from the bolts (28) through the brackets (16, 18)
to the point at which the vertically-loaded elements are attached
to the brackets (16, 18).
The compression member (12) according to the present invention is
provided in such a manner so as to be compressed in between the
vertical load bearing structures, such as the brackets (16, 18),
elevator rails (20), or similar structures that suspend the
vertical load. By spanning the horizontal distance between the
brackets (16, 18) the compression member (12) counters the
inwardly-directed tension loads in the bolts (28) that result from
the moment caused by the elevator assembly vertical load.
The compression member (12) may be rigid as illustrated in FIG. 1.
However, it will be clear to one skilled in the art that the
compression member (12) may also be complaint. For example, a
spring loaded telescoping beam, pre-loaded near or above the
tension loads may also be used.
Referring to FIG. 2, the compression member (12) is illustrated as
spanning, in compression, the horizontal distance between the
brackets (16, 18) which support rope hitch ends (34) and the
counterweight (32) and the elevator car (26). The compression
member (12) may similarly be positioned between elevator machine
mounting hardware or other structures, such as the elevator rails
(20). The resultant vertical load of the elevator system (10),
represented by the vector arrow (36) causes resultant moment forces
represented by the vector arrows (38, 40) that are countered by the
compression forces (42, 44) of the compression member (12). The
resultant tension forces (46, 48) transmitted through the bolts
(28) are also countered by the compression forces (42, 44).
The compression member (12) may be made from any suitable material
that provides sufficient compression strength and durability, such
as structural steel.
It is possible to position one or more compression members of the
type described herein according to the present invention in
different locations from that specifically presented herein in the
preferred embodiment, while effectively countering resultant
tension and moment forces caused by vertical loads. For example, in
machineroom-less elevator systems, the vertical loads of the
elevator machine (22) and other equipment, e.g., controllers and
dead end hitches for an elevator car, are often supported by
brackets attached to the elevator guide rails (20). The guide rails
(20) pass the vertical loads down through the building to the pit.
In this configuration, there are minimal attachments to the walls,
and the moment loads are concentrated on the guide rails (20).
Therefore, in this exemplary embodiment, the optimal location for
the horizontal compression member (12) is between the guide rails
(20) themselves.
While the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been
herein disclosed and described, modification and variation may be
made without departing from the scope of the presently claimed
invention.
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